By George Slaughter
Keep Katy Beautiful was recently honored at City Hall for being named a winner of the Governor’s Community Achievement Award. Pictured are, left to right, Albert Thompson Jr., Sharon Rhoads, Sandy Schmidt, Jamie Wolman, Jess Washburn, Kathy Wiesner, Mayor Chuck Brawner, Jennifer Stence, Kay Callender, Debbie Berger, Carrie Singletary, and Paula Taylor. (City of Katy photo)
Jamie Wolman of Keep Katy Beautiful has been named recipient of the 2018 Keep Texas Beautiful Leadership Award.
In a recent presentation to the city council, Jess Washburn, tourism and marketing assistant for the city, said that Wolman’s service and dedication never wavers.
“Jamie has been instrumental in countless projects for KKB, where she has served for 23 years,” Washburn said. “She has also served on the board of directors for Keep Texas Beautiful for over 20 years. She is proactive in enhancing the quality of life for all members of the Katy community and her heart for volunteerism goes above and beyond. Jamie embodies all that KKB and KTB stand for.”
Wolman serves as secretary to the Keep Katy Beautiful board of directors.
Ray and Jamie Wolman Elementary School, 28727 Firethorne Road, is also named partly in her honor.
Keep Katy Beautiful was created in 1993 with the support of then-Mayor Skip Conner. It is an affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful.
Washburn said that Keep Katy Beautiful focuses on beautification and greening, cleanups, and waste reduction through recycling.
Wolman’s award coincides with the city being honored with the Governor’s Community Achievement Award for outstanding community improvement.
Keep Katy Beautiful will receive its award on behalf of the city in June at the Keep Texas Beautiful Annual Conference in Georgetown.
Mayor Chuck Brawner said this is the fifth time the city has received this award. Katy is one of 10 such award winners this year.
Keep Katy Beautiful’s success has also been brought money to the city. The 10 winners will share $2 million in landscape funding from the Texas Department of Transportation, which has provided landscape funding since 1986.
Katy’s share will be $180,000 for a landscaping project along a local state right-of-way.
Communities submitted materials in one of 10 population categories. Judges chose the winners based on their achievements and seven environmental and community improvement areas. Those areas are beautification and community improvement, community leadership and coordination, education, litter law and illegal dumping enforcement, litter prevention and cleanup, public awareness, and solid waste management.
Washburn said in 2017, volunteers invested 63,206 hours—an estimated $1.5 million value—in cleaning and improving public spaces, among other educational and recycling activities.